Lib Dem overspend now running at £5M

The current Liberal Democrat administation at the Guildhall is running up a massive £5,000,000 overspend according to this weeks cabinet reports.

a) The net projected overspend is now £4.997 million compared with £5.140 million at the end of Period 5.

Liberal Democrat councillors agreed at the meeting to continue with the list of budget cuts listed below.


"The actions taken/proposed were again reported to members in November for Period 5 and remain unchanged for Period 7. In summary the key areas remain:

· (£290k) saving by introducing tighter controls over Care Home placements resulting in a one in for every four leaving care. This will need to be carefully monitored.

· (£180k saving achieved by review of residential placements to ensure appropriate accommodation is secured.

· (£135k) additional income can be achieved through carrying out individual assessments of ability to pay for respite care rather than charging a flat rate.

· (£195k) saving to be achieved by review and revision of home care packages where applicants receive between 0-5 hours per week.

· (£190k) reduction in the scale of core packages offered.

· (£250k) saving achieved by ceasing purchase of equipment for Aids/Adaptions."


Lib Dem bosses have also held a crisis meeting to discuss massive cuts in other council services.

Is Christmas spirit banned at the Guildhall?

Check out The SUN

This is how the SUN covered the Guildhall Liberal Democrat bosses banning of Santa Hats.

The quote from a Guildhall spokeman is priceless.

I am grateful to a local resident from the Franklin Street area who forwarded this letter from my ward colleagues. The letter dated 12th July promised double yellow lines would be removed “in the relatively near future”.

Instead the council repainted the lines in fresh yellow paint!

What residents want are the lines removing, so come on deliver on what was promised.

Councillor Minns failed to mention this act of Lib Dem councillors misleading residents at this weeks Full Council Meeting.

Victory in Baths Battle.

Liberal Democrat bosses at the Guildhall have been forced to back down on plans to make budget savings at the cost of East Hull baths. Worried users have contacted me regarding the future of the much-loved baths after staff had told them about plans for closure. However, The Liberal Democrats have been forced to climb down from their plans. Councillor Kalvin Neal was forced to admit defeat at this weeks council cabinet meeting.
“ I had asked officers to look at all leisure centres as part of the budget process, but I can say now that East Hull Baths will not be closing.” said Councillor Neal
That’s good news for local users of the baths. But the question of were the Lib Dems intend to make their budget saving remains.

Victoria Dock Residents Forum

A meeting of the Victoria Dock Residents Forum will take place today in the Village Hall starting at 6.30. pm.

Weekly rubbish collections will be scrapped by the Lib Dems

Lib Dems set to introduce fortnightly rubbish collections.

Liberal Democrat administration at Hull City Council are drawing up plans to roll out the introduction of fortnightly wheelie bin collections in the city.

The Liberal Democrats are planning to introduce four pilot schemes.

The areas chosen will trial different methods of rubbish collections.

Two areas will see fortnightly rubbish collections with and a recycling collection.

In two other areas weekly wheelie bin collections will remain but the larger 240-litre bin will be replaced with a smaller 140-litre bin about the size of the current Blue bin.

The trial area are being kept secret by the administration. The recent changes to collection days for 35,00 households in the city was the first stage of the Lib Dems plans.

The areas selected will also see enhanced collections of recyclable materials including green waste and cardboard.

This is the second time that a Liberal Democrat administration in Hull has tried to scrap weekly collections.

Changes to collections will take place after next year’s local elections.

Lib Dem cuts start to bite.

Youth Club Scrapped to save money.

The Liberal Democrat administration at Hull City Council have scrapped a weekly Youth Club on Victoria Dock.

The weekly Youth Club met every Wednesday in the Village Hall on Victoria Dock.

It will be scrapped from the end of December after a decision was made to withdraw funding.

The Liberal Democrat administration is currently £5,000,000 overspent in this financial year and is desperate to reduce costs.

We need to provide alternatives for young people to hanging about on the streets, it is very sad that a weekly youth club in the area has had its funding withdrawn this decision need to be reviewed.

Building Fewer Schools.

Residents in East Hull have reported to me seeing a group of Lib Dem Councillors and education officers looking round an allotment site in the east of the city. The speculation is that a new site for the replacement to David Lister was the objective of the visit. Local residents are most upset. When is consultation going to take place?

Building Fewer Schools.

BFS

Building Fewer Schools for the Future. This seems to be the new Liberal Democrat plan now that they have been given 6 months to provide their own plans for education in the city. To nights Mail carries a story about the Lib Dems plans for dramatic schools closures in Hull without giving the details away

Hull’s new rulers have been very quiet on their plans for secondary education, in fact not even one quote from a Lib Dem spokesperson in the whole article.

In fact Lib Dem bosses are planning to close half the current number of secondary schools in the city, replacing them with only 7 or 8 new 1500 place schools on sites yet to be decided.
When will the plans be revealed and when will consultation take place?

This story in the Sun caught my eye this week. Apparently Hazel Blears has let slip the date of the next General Election. This might be jumping the gun a little.

The Groves Neighbourhood Watch

On Sunday 10th December over 30 local residents attended the first meeting of a new Neighbourhood Watch Group for your area.

The meeting was organised by local residents fed up with crime and anti-social behaviour on the streets.

Local Police, Anti-social Behaviour Team and the Community Wardens attended the meeting.

Residents asked tough and searching questions of the police, councillors and council officers.

Local beat bobby PC Nick Deacon gave details of the police team in the area, which consists of a Police Sergeant, himself, specials constables and police community support officers. Nick answered questions and listened to residents concerns about the lack of a police presence on the streets.

Details were also given of the sorts of crime and intimidation suffered by people living in the area.

Sean Dickens represented the Council anti-social behaviour team, which is based at the Library and Customer Care Centre on Holderness Road. If the team is to be successful against antisocial behaviour and offenders Sean needs diary sheets completing for every incident and returned to him at the Mount Pleasant office. Diary sheets are used to compile evidence, which can be used in court.

Peter Jones from HANWaG was unfortunately unable to attend but sent Neighbourhood Watch information packs and is fully supportive of starting a scheme in the “Groves”.

Below is a list of some of the concerns raised by residents,

· More ally gates are required in the allies not currently covered.
· Better Street Lighting is required.
· Action against local Street Thugs.
· Better lighting on the cycle track.
· Bushes and shrubs to be cut back.
· Action on speeding cars in St Marks Street.
· Improvements in Car Parking on Egton Street.
A further meeting will be called to form a Neighbourhood Watch committee and further full residents meetings will be held.

The Groves Neighbourhood Watch

The first meeting of the Groves Neighbourhood Watch takes place this weekend. The meeting will be held at the New Cleveland Social Club on the corner of Mulgrave Street and New Clevland Street on Sunday 10th December starting at 12noon.

The community police officers, Neighbourhood watch group HANWaG, and myself will be there to help local residents establish the group.

Please attend if you can.

Lib Dem bosses cancel Christmas

Lib Dem Bosses cancel Xmas.

Liberal Democrat bosses at Hulls Guildhall have banned councillor workers from wearing Santa Hats. The instruction issued by council bosses claimed they were a danger to health and safety.

Garden Village Neighbourhood Forum

A very well attended meeting with lots of lively discussion. The local police team, anti-social behaviour team and community wardens all in attendance.

. Local resident at the launch of the Victoria Dock Heritage Trail.



Photo by Adam Williams

Garden Village Neighbourhood Forum

The Garden Village Neighbourhood Forum will be held on Wednesday December 6th at the Police Boys Club Elm Ave starting at 6.30pm.

A Walk through time.

The Chuckle Brothers ruined the first storyboard


The Victoria Dock Heritage Trail was launched today with as much publicity as could be mustered. The housing estate situated on the banks of the Humber boasts a fascinating past of history, industry and toil. Glimpses of which can be seen on a 20 stop walking tour of the area accompanied by absorbing storyboards situated along the way. The trail also features a new public work of art on the riverfront outside Victoria House inspired by the residents and the moving river.

An interactive guide to beating the Lib Dems, part 1

This is a very interesting link which shows how negative the campaigning by the Lib Dems really is:
donpaskini: An interactive guide to beating the Lib Dems, part 1

Saltend is best location

The decision of how to deal with household waste in the region is a political decision made by local politicians. Over the past few years politicians of all parties have moved to the conclusion that burning waste to produce electricity and increasing the amount we recycle is the best option for the City of Hull and the surrounding area.

The location of the incinerator at Saltend is by far the best for the vast majority of residents in the area. The site straddles both local authorities and so will require planning permission from both.

The planning application will be heard first by the East Riding in December and by Hull in early January.

The most likely outcome is that the East Riding planning committee will vote in favour of the development. This will put great pressure on the Hull planning committee.

A great staged managed affair is planned, the city hall has been booked and everyone who wants to will be allowed his or her say.

There seem little possibility Hull will pass the proposals despite both major political parties supporting the incinerator in internal group discussions.

Refusal of one committee will send the proposals to a planning inspector and probably a public enquiry. Given the lack of a listed building in the area the public enquiry will find in favour of the proposals and building will commence in the later part of the new year.

The problem with this scenario is the costs to the city of Hull. If the East Riding agree the proposals and delays are caused by Hull councillors all the subsequent costs will fall on the city. The cost of WRG’s appeal to the planning inspector and the cost of the city council defending the action will all be paid for by Hull residents.

Delay in opening the incinerator will cost tens of thousands of pounds per month. All of which will have to be borne by residents.

Whilst some people are not happy with the proposals the vast majority of residents in Hull and the East Riding are. Councillors on both planning committees should vote for the proposals, which are supported by residents, have the best financial results and is safe and environmentally sound.